Beauty And The Beast
by WonderRand
Summary: The tale of an insignificant maiden whose fate was changed by a rose, and a deformed beast whose eyes were set on the maiden for his selfish desire.
1. Chapter 1

I would have never expected my life to take the turn it took today, and I couldn't have possibly guessed what it was going to be like from now on.

Today started out just like any other day since the decease of our beloved mother.

I woke up to the singing of the birds as the sweet familiar aromas filled my nose and hypnotized my brain. Jasmine, gardenia, lilies, lilacs, roses…so many fragrances that I knew by heart and yet many, many, that I couldn't identify, or sometimes didn't know about.  
With a certain sense of satisfaction, I welcomed the real world and embraced the sun rays lighting my sheets. I jumped off my bed feeling really light and energetic, and headed to the bathroom for the daily morning routine.

My father had said that he'd be out to work early today, so it was my duty to tend our little garden this time. I walked out barefoot, the wind messing with my wet hair made me shiver at first but I liked the sensation, the extra feeling of freshness after my morning shower only made it better. I took a very deep breath and held it in, taking a sample of every fragrance out there, then let out slowly.

And the sweet variety of breathtaking aromas wasn't the only special thing about our small garden, the sight was mesmerizing as well. A kingdom of colors arranged beautifully, planned carefully to look in shape in every season by my father and mother.

I started to water the flowers and take care of them, and I was done in no time, or so I thought at first, but I realized that it took much longer than it felt like when I heard my sister Gumi calling us for breakfast. I washed quickly and joined my siblings around the breakfast table Gumi had prepared.

Miku, Gumi, Rin, Len, and I, always sat around the table in the same order. Two chairs were empty, one was my father's, and the other was where my mother used to sit. It had only been a few months since she had passed away, so we decided we weren't ready to rearrange the house yet. With every change made, it felt like I was losing more pieces of her. Every adjustment deleted more of her presence which was already close to vanish, from the physical world of course. Because she would always be with us in our hearts.

Only little awkward comments were made, but that's how meal times have been recently, like every other activity we used to do as a full family.

"Is Kaito-nii coming over today?" Rin asked me cheerfully, chomping a mouthful of something-or-another. "I hope he does, maybe he'll bring me a gift!"

"Rin! We shouldn't be greedy! Kaito-san is Luka's fiancé, he has no reason to bring us all gifts every time he comes over!" Gumi lectured her, pinching her cheek.

"ow! I know, but he always does!"

"That's because he's filthy rich." Len interrupted, a bit disgusted. He never liked Kaito. I didn't exactly love him to begin with, but it was going to be an arranged marriage. He was ever so nice and kind to us, but I couldn't bring myself to love him, not in the wife-husband way at least, but as long as it was going to help my family I was okay with it. He offered to financially support my family, and help them in any way he can, and promised to get me whatever I wanted, and grant all my wishes, not that I actually had any wish that a human could achieve.

But it was going to make my father, siblings, and Kaito himself feel happy and safe. It was going to please everyone, and I had no reason not to do it.

I wasn't waiting for prince charming on a white horse (although that's what all ladies in town would call Kaito) or anything, I had no big goal or reason to live for, so I had simply decided to enjoy and appreciate the most delicate details; the smallest touches of happiness and beauty that people don't usually notice, and to make sure other people around me were happy as well.

It was going to please everyone, and maybe I could find some hints of happiness in the new lifestyle, so why not?

I hadn't always been like that though. I once had dreams, desires, wishes,…it could all be traced to my mother's death. It was after her passing that I learnt what was truly important in life. Money, work, parties, and even relationships…all of them were just minor details in the big picture. It was human beings who actually mattered. We are the important pieces of the big picture. Lose them, and the rest of the details are meaningless. You could always gain money again or get a different job, but once you lose someone to death, it's absolute. No going back, no other options.

That's why I have no interest in anything, and why I also think that we should try to protect all life forms and give them happiness while they still exist.

"Maybe he'll get me a new pair of shoes! To go with the dress he got me last time!" Miku cheered.

"you guys are impossible!" Gumi sighed, crossing her arms in defeat. "So is he coming over?" Gumi asked this time.

"I'm sorry guys, but I don't think he'll be able to make it this week. He's off to Egypt, for a trade with a famous merchant who had managed to obtain some ancient relics of some sort…I think." I finally answered, trying to recall what Kaito had told me last time we met

"Oh, so he's into this kind of stuff? Awesome!" Len and Rin commented at the same moment.

"What about my shoes?!" Miku complained

I was about to answer Miku, when the door cracked open unexpectedly. All eyes were focused on the door, and the room fell into utter silence.

"Up, and ready for breakfast I see!" The newcomer's kind and loving voice made the five of us cheer. It was father's voice.

"You're back **_very_** early today. Is something the matter?" I asked him, smiling. "you've never been back this early before so that's pretty weird! Come join us for breakfast!" I invited him excitedly.

But something didn't feel right about him. He scratched his head and smiled at me, but what I sensed was hesitation, his smile was more nervous than happy.

"Surely not! I mean can't I just join my family for breakfast once every now and then?!" He continued.

"Sure! Have a seat papa!" Rin cheered from her chair, with a mouth full of many sorts of food. "You brought us anything?"

"of course! A new hairpin for Gumi, the gloves to go with Miku's dress, and the matching jackets Len and Rin asked for. As for you Luka dear," My father turned to me before he spoke, "I really had no idea at all what would you like, I mean you never ask for anything, so I got you a rose that grabbed my attention. I supposed you may like it since you enjoy helping me in the garden."

"It's really beautiful! The most beautiful rose I've ever seen! Thank you father!" I exclaimed as my father gave me the flower. I had never seen a flower that pretty before, but the anxiety showing in my father's nervous smile was still distracting me.

"And it's exactly the same colour of your hair, which was probably why it caught father's attention!" Gumi cheered.

I turned my back to them and went to put the rose in a small vase with some water, oblivious to the fact that the very rose I had in my hands was going to change my fate in ways I was unable to imagine.

* * *

The day passed ever so peacefully, and we enjoyed a nice afternoon with my father in the garden. Len and Rin spent the whole day playing tag, Miku was making us flower crowns, Gumi and I were practicing bow shooting, with father helping us, but the night came down quickly and weirdly enough it started to rain so we retreated to our small cozy home.

But the fake peace, the false calm before the storm, did not last for too long. Soon enough it was broken by some terrifyingly violent knocking on the door. My siblings and I didn't know what to think, but it seemed as if father knew exactly what to expect. He started trembling so badly, fighting for his breath at the same time. Sweat was dripping from his forehead and his eyes seemed a bit unfocused.

"Let me get this." He announced, trying to swallow his fear, his legs still shaking as he marched towards the door, but it seemed our visitor was in hurry that he had to break the door down before we could open it.

We stammered in our places, Len and Rin hugging, Miku sobbing softly, and being silenced by Gumi, waiting for the approaching figure to come out of the shadows and into our living room. I caught my bow which was luckily right next to me, and hoped to not have to use it.

My father backed away from the door, falling onto his back, as the tall figure came closer, revealing something horrifying, something so terrible I would never be able to forget.

Long messy strands of purple hair framed the very white and pale face of the figure. Its sapphire eyes; surrounded by what seemed like scales around their far end; were so cold and raging with anger he could almost pierce into my soul. Two ugly horns emerged symmetrically from the top of the head adding to the demonic look, and two huge raven-black feathery wings were visible from behind his back, like those of a crow.

The petrifying creature growled so loudly it made my heart sink in my chest, and I thought my ears were going to explode. My bow fell from my hand, and my heart was beating so loudly it felt it was right inside my head, pumping blood and adrenaline through my vessels. I had never seen something like that before. It only belonged in legends and fairytale, demons couldn't really exist, right?! At least they weren't supposed to take such spine-chilling appearances in front of us, were they?! I couldn't even tell if this was real or just one crappy nightmare of mine, or perhaps both!

"How dare you enter my garden and pick that rose?! Who do you think you are, you filthy human?!" The monster growled at my father on the ground "Who allowed you to do so?!"

"I…I d-did'nt know it b-belonged to anyone! B-besides, it's j-just a rose, isn't it? Y-you can take all the f-flowers in our g-garden instead if-f you like!"

"Liar! You saw me while you were picking it up and ran away you coward rat!" The monster roared, holding my father up in the air from his shirt, with one arm.

My muscles finally unfroze at the dangerous situation my father was in, and I knew I had to do something. I was the older sibling, and I had to handle this. I grabbed my bow quickly and got ready to shoot.

"I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm so sorry I swear, I-i… you could take your rose and any other one you like! I was ju-just getting it for my d-daughter! I didn't know it would make you feel bad!" My father begged. It hurt me a lot to see my father so helpless and weak.

"Ah, so **_that's_** your daughter…" The demon said quietly after a pause, with a dark voice and a sickly smile that sent shivers through my spine, the same moment my arrow hit his leg, not even flinching.

"I think I've found a rose I like. The trade is done, and you're freaking forgiven." He faked a honeyed voice, throwing my father against the wall and walking towards me this time.

"No! do not touch Luka! Do not touch my children or I'll kill you!" I heard my father threaten, trying to run as fast as I can, but the beast was much quicker than me and grabbed me from my hair with his clawed hands. Miku and Rin were crying and checking father's wounds, Len and Gumi got themselves two knives from the kitchen and tried to attack the monster but he quickly knocked them to the ground with only one move of his giant wings.

"I will not hurt anyone, would you just come stay with me at my mansion? I promise you to not touch or hurt your father or siblings again…" The nauseating honeyed voice paused "If you do not agree on the other hand, I'll just slaughter them all right in front of you and leave, **_Luka_**. Isn't it wonderful how your hair is the exact same color of my rose?"

"Don't you dare!" Rin threatened, pressing a clean cloth against a wound in my father's head. "It might be late and raining now, but tomorrow, the whole town will know of what you did and they'll come after you!"

"Then Luka and I shall be preparing tea for them. Isn't that what your filthy kind does when someone visits them?" It disgusted me so much to hear my name in his sugar-coated nightmarish voice.

As he was still focused on Rin, I grabbed the vase that had his stupid rose and smashed it against his head, not able to run away because of his firm grip on my hair. Blood started streaming down his face, but it only made him smile flashing two rows of white, animal-like teeth at me.

"Good move, **_Luka_**."

"For God's sake! you monster don't even have feelings!" I cried as tears started welling in the corners of my eyes.

"True." was all he said, placing his foot on Gumi's head who was knocked out on the ground, smirking at me. "want me to crack her head open?"

"No please! Please! Don't !" I cried, defeated. I had put my family in enough danger and pain while I could actually save them all with one word. I took a deep breath before I spoke again.

"fine, I'll come with you." I answered, as calmly as I managed; I didn't want him to enjoy his triumph. "Let me just pack a thing or two."

The monster seemed surprised at my coldness, and it made me feel a little better.

I turned my back to my wounded family and got ready to leave with the damned creature.

"I'll be back! I promise!" I whispered to Rin and Miku, the only ones still conscious, before I walked out of the door. "We'll find a way! Kaito will save me, just tell Kaito, alright? We can't have him killing father so I'll have to go! Get the neighbors to help you take care of father, Len, and Gumi, do not let them get hurt!"

They both nodded, but held onto my arms, crying, not wanting to let go of me. I didn't want to let go of them either, but that perhaps was my purpose in life. I was put here to save my family. I relaxed a bit at the thought, but the monster ran out of patience and pulled me away from my sisters' embrace by force, throwing them to the ground.

I freed myself from his grasp and said no more, walking in front of him out of the main door. I didn't want him to hurt my loved ones any more. I had enough.

I swallowed my fears and tried to walk steadily and fast. What was I taken to his mansion as? I wasn't sure but I had such awful guesses in mind. But it didn't matter anyway, or so I convinced myself. Kaito was going to save me.


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you for reading the first chapter. Special thanks to BlondiePsycho, Shirai-P, and iloveyugiohGX93.

* * *

 **Chapter 2:**

The room that monster left me in was spacious, and surprisingly neat and nicely-decorated, much more than you would expect from such unkempt, uncivilized beast. The large windows were covered with expensive dark-red curtains. The furniture -consisting of a queen-sized bed with two nightstands, a closet, and a vanity with its stool- looked quite luxurious. They were made of some fine, dark-coloured wood. The bed sheets were daisy-white, and very soft to touch. Overall, the room was quite nice, but at that moment nothing could brighten me up or lift my mood.

The adrenaline rush started to fade away quickly, causing my body to start trembling, and my knees to give out. I collapsed on the carpeted floor, sobbing my heart out. It finally hit me. I was kidnapped and trapped in a monster's lair, unsure of what he had in mind for me. It was highly possible that I was never to see my father and my siblings again. Whether the beast was planning to bite my head off, or worse perhaps make me pay for that rose somehow, or just lock me in eternally was beyond my comprehension.

It was just like when my mother passed away, or when I broke my leg as a child. At first, it's mere shock, it doesn't hurt, you're only confused and scared. But then when the shock wears out and you're back to your senses, it starts burning everywhere. It takes time to realize how much painful it actually is when shock masks your most unpleasant moments, and now was the time when I realized how horrified and pained I awfully felt.

I couldn't clear my head, and the terrified faces of my beloved family members that started fogging my mind was making it harder to focus. I could still hear Miku's sobbing, and Rin's frightened threats. I could hear Len's and Gumi's groans as the monster kicked them off. I could still hear my father threatening the monster, and sometimes begging him to spare his children. All their voices were mixing in my head, and the noise could almost deaf me. I screamed at the top of my lungs to cover up the noise in my head –ignoring that my pathetic act was probably music to the demon's ears- , and tears washed down my face even quicker.

But my screaming didn't last long, and soon I was tired. I completely dropped on the floor, my mind still hazy and foggy from all the screams and the terrified faces. My mother's screams somehow also got mixed up with the the rest of the mess in my head, but this time I couldn't scream and push the noises away any more. I accepted the horror inside of me and let myself slip into a cruel ,nightmare-ful sleep.

The next thing I knew was that someone was knocking at my door.  
The sun was up, it seemed, so I got up and opened the curtains, still numb from sleeping and irresponsive to my surroundings, but soon enough the flood of yesterday's events abused my mind forcefully, and I knew what was to happen next, because it had already happened to me before. A grieving cycle. An unending chain of shock followed by sadness, repeating again and again until time decides you had enough torture and starts healing you, leaving scars in the process.

I decided I didn't want to answer the door to my kidnapper. That monstrous thing could break the door down and enter like he did in my home if he wanted to, so there was no point in answering anyway.

"Your breakfast is outside." He announced with his deep voice as if giving food to a pet, sending shivers through my spine. I wasn't ready to hear that voice yet. It immediately triggered the madness inside my head, and the voices broke out again. I let one loud scream out of my chest, silencing every other sound around me, both in my head, and out of it. I didn't notice until then that I was crying again.

Shivering violently, I started to do what my sister Miku taught me to do when I needed to calm down. It was a little habit of us that we did when we were worried or depressed. I started to hum a faint melody, in my head at first, but using my vocal cords when I became comfortable enough. Singing had always done the trick for me, it could always bring peace and serenity to my soul. As I continued singing softly, there came one song that Kaito had written for me before. It was short but very sweet and honest. It wasn't a love song, but a song of gratitude and thankfulness that we've ever known each other's. It didn't only make me happy when I sang it, but it also lit a spark of hope inside of me. I wasn't going to be locked here forever, I still had Kaito. He was strong and brave, and he also knew people who could help.

I dried my tears with the palms of my hands, and decided to occupy my mind with different things until it was the time when Kaito came.

The light coming through the windows invited me to check what a wonderful day it was outside. Funny how life never actually slows down for your sadness, and your doomsday could be just another sunny morning for everyone else. The scenery from the windows was not really captivating; just the rotting dead garden surrounding the mansion, with no living fauna or flora except for one pink rose plant, bearing three fully bloom roses the very same colour of my own hair, and one rose bud. Just one lively rose plant- which happens to be the most beautiful one I had laid my eyes on- in a lifeless wreckage. I had the urge to go down and have a closer look at it, but after the show that monster put on yesterday, I was definitely avoiding the rose he was obsessed with at all costs.

I turned away from the window, curious to know whether he was still at my door after all this time. I took a peek from beneath the door and saw nothing beside what was supposed to be my breakfast. I opened the door slowly, and took a look at the tray at my feet. There was a plate of pancakes, a cup of milk, and a plate of cookies. _**Weird**_. It couldn't have possibly been the monster who prepared all of this now, could it? The work seemed so fine and delicate and even smelled good! And two clawed, deformed hands, belonging to one awful being, didn't seem capable of doing such a fine job. But then, who else was there to make it?!

I walked out looking for the bathroom, throwing that little mystery to the back of my mind, mostly because I didn't really care that much, and partly because I wasn't going to eat it anyway and risk being poisoned, or just giving him the feeling that I needed his good deeds –such as cooking- to survive.

The bathroom was very close to the bedroom, and it was also unpredictably neat and clean. I washed my face and freshened up a bit.  
I walked out then, wandering randomly around the place since I had nothing to do. All of the rooms upstairs beside the bedroom and the bathroom were locked, but the corridors and hallways were a sight themselves with their decorations. Admiring my surroundings, I swiftly found myself walking down the ivory stairs to the dining hall, where I caught a glimpse of…him, walking away heading to the mansion's entrance, before I heard the door slam.

Alright. I was by myself. Maybe it was my lucky day after all. Maybe I would be able to escape if I could make sure he was far enough to not notice.

But then I heard what seemed to be the clinking of dinner plates.

I sneaked to the kitchen, clutching my heart¸ in fear of discovering a new member of the demons family. It was so naïve of me to think that he'd leave me alone in the house to escape whenever I wanted, wasn't it? I should have expected.

But what I could have never expected was the perfectly-normal young woman I found in the kitchen, washing some cooking pans.

Well, perfectly-normal if not for the bandages covering her left eye, and the scars of claws on her neck, but she was still a young normal human being. She had short brown hair, and was taller than me, but she turned quickly to face the other side of the room, so I couldn't fetch more details. Was she a maid? Was I to face the same fate soon? That was his purpose in bringing me here?!

The woman probably became aware that someone was staring at her so she stormed out of the room as I tried to mutter an "excuse me".

"Wait a moment, please!" I called after her not hoping for a response, but she actually slowed down and stopped mid-step.

"Hmm?" She replied without facing me.

"Are you locked here too? Did the monster kidnap you? Please hear me out, we could help each oth-"

"Locked?!" The young woman chuckled, revealing the nice voice she had.  
"I'm not." She continued, walking away and leaving me even more confused.

The only thing I could come up with was that she was probably a maid, even though she dressed too nicely to be one. But even that guess was shattered when two maids came by later to do the housework while he was still out, greeting the brunette lady with the name 'Sakine-sama'. The mentioned woman soon took her leave with the maids when they finished working, avoiding me whenever I tried to talk to her.

I was finally truly by myself then. It was the precious little moment I desperately waited for, and I was so scared of letting it slip through my shaking fingers.

I started rummaging through the bedroom I had spent my night in, looking for the bag containing the things I had brought with me, with the intention of fleeing and never coming back once I found it.  
But I couldn't find it.

Where had that cursed animal hidden it?! I really didn't want to abandon my bag, honestly because it held inside something so dear to me. The necklace my mother wore to her wedding.  
Oh how she wished to see me in the same pearly necklace on my wedding day! It was probably the last physical reminder I had from her. There was nothing left from her things but for this necklace, because everything else went to her sister, my aunt.

It didn't appeal to me to search the first floor, it was mainly occupied by the large dining room, the kitchen, the living room, and two bathrooms, and none of these sounded like the perfect place to hide someone's personal belongings, so I decided to continue searching the upper floor first. Since I ended up finding nothing in the bedroom, I went to search the bathroom, and it was just as fruitless, but to my surprise, one more room that had been previously locked lied in front of me with its door ajar. Perhaps the maids forgot to lock the door back?

Curiously, I walked in, investigating my surroundings.  
The room was completely white. The carpets, the walls, the curtains…and even its center of attention, a white grand piano. It was the last thing I could expect in such a place. I approached the piano to take a closer look, and I found it pretty dusty, but it was very beautifully made. There were small fine carvings on it which seemed to represent someone's initials, **_'_ _K.G'_** .  
I let my fingers caress the white and black keys, but I thought the piano sounded a bit off, and needed a little bit of tuning. It must have been abandoned for a while.

Finally I diverted my gaze from the piano to notice a much smaller but just as stunning detail. A drawing easel. Another thing that you don't usually expect to find in a beast's liar, but oh well, they did not necessarily have to belong to the beast himself, I reminded myself. The could belong to that mysterious 'Sakine' lady, even if it didn't fit with the little initials theory I came up with, a moment ago.

Beside the drawing easel, a few paintings were stacked next to the wall. Curiosity got the best of me, so I decided to steal a glance.

Even to someone who had no knowledge in art like me, the paintings looked breathtaking. The colouring style was rather soft, and very relaxing to the eye, and the sceneries presented were quite beautiful. Most of them were drawings of gardens, forests, or nature in general, but there were also two paintings of a female with chocolate-brown orbs who looked very similar to the woman in the mansion, or 'Sakine-san', but also younger, and even more beautiful, not that the mansion's lady wasn't gorgeous herself.

Suddenly, reality stung me again with the mention of said lady, and I remembered that I didn't know how much time I had for myself to escape before she or the beast were back. I quickly put the art works back where they had been placed before, and aborted my previous mission to look for my bag.

I had to run away, with my bag or without it. It was a life or death situation, and I had to save my life even if it meant losing an object that I treasure dearly. My mother would forgive me, or so I hoped. She would still be in my heart forever, and she would still love me regardless of all the stupid things I always did. If she were still with us, she would have naturally chosen to see me back to my family alive, even if it meant losing her most preferred jewelry piece in the process. It was one of the qualities I respect the most in mothers that they always sacrificed everything they had, important or insignificant, for the sake of their children.

I quickly dashed through the big front door of the building to find myself in the dead garden. I had no time to observe so I started running for my life. But no matter how much I ran I never reached anything. The mansion stood on top of a hill that was surrounded by woods in every direction. The woods seemed to be infinite, and it hit me that with my human speed I probably needed a few hours' walk to reach an inhabited town, unless I could find shortcut roads in the forest, or maybe obtain a horse somehow.

Unsure if I could actually make it out of the maze of woods alive; in one piece; _**and**_ before the nightfall, I continued running terrified, with my eyes squinting to prevent tears from falling.

Until I bumped into something, causing me to fall on my back.

I bumped into an enraged, furious, purple-haired beast.


	3. Chapter 3

Like usual, Thank you for reading the previous chapter 3  
I'd like to let you know that I'm not abandoning any of my Vocaloid stories, but I'm in the midst of my midyear exams. Hopefully, I'll get to update them around the 20th of Feb. Thank you for understanding, and I apologize for that.

* * *

Indigo irises bore into my very being like daggers, lethal and cold like a storm snow, causing me to shiver. A clawed hand tore its way to reach me and I quickly raised my right arm to defend myself, hiding my face behind it, afraid that the beast would jump at me any moment.  
But he didn't.

"Are you freaking insane?! Wandering out in the woods alone like that…you could have died you madwoman! The woods are full of all sorts of monsters; wolves, bears, and even thieves!" The purple-haired beast raged at me, not bothering to hide his anger or frustration at all. That was probably the longest thing I've ever heard him say, he wasn't very talkative usually, not that I had tried to talk to him or even wanted to.

My heart picked up its pace at the threat that was in front of me. Not only my hope of escaping was terminated, but I was also caught in the middle of my action red-handed, meaning I had to face the storming beast and the consequences of what I did. He would probably lock me in for real this time, if I survived this anger session without getting my head bitten off, that is.

"W-why do you even care? You're not a better company than any of those **_monsters_** you mentioned.." I stormed without much thinking before I could stop myself. "In fact, I'd much rather be abducted by a bloody thief, thank you. A much less frightening being than you are at least." I continued in a small voice, trying not to meet his furious bloody gaze, and already regretting saying what must have sounded like a suicide plea to him.

It seemed I hit a nerve, even if I actually never meant to, because I could hear him holding back a growl in his throat. That was very reckless of me; I shouldn't have tried to anger such a monster. He was already terrifying in his calm, and I surely wasn't eager to experience what he was like when angered.

"if **_I_** didn't find you, you idiot,…" He said, pausing for a dramatic effect, or so it seemed to me.  
 _"I would have been able to escape, duh!"_ I wished to say, but locked that wish deep inside my head to avoid an immediate death.

"You would have died, do you understand?!" He arched his eyebrows; as if actually expecting me to answer that, but that change in his gesture made him look much more tolerable, and suddenly I realized I was staring into his eyes. If I didn't know better, I would have thought these eyes looked sort of vulnerable, and helpless at that moment; I would have thought that his gesture indicated caring; and that his face looked rather worried and very…human to me, the face of a human on the edge, someone who was about to fall off a cliff… But I knew my kidnapper better, or so I thought.

"Get up." He ordered flatly, as I turned my face around to inspect my surroundings. I was still at the ground since I had bumped into him.

I tried to lift my body up, but suddenly I felt as if thunder had just passed through my ankle, causing me to fall back on the ground. I tried to get up again, but my leg couldn't take my weight, and my ankle burned like flames were lit inside of it, causing me to groan, clenching my teeth as I landed on the ground once more.

"Are you hurt?" He inquired emotionlessly, but I didn't answer. Yes, I am mentally very hurt because you kidnapped me, thank you. You decided that you actually care now?

"Let me check it…" He said, his tone softening a bit. He pressed his fingers against my ankle looking for serious injuries, against my protests, his sharp animal-like nails scratching me a little bit.

"Don't touch me! Let go! I'm fine!" I yelled and tried kicking him off with my healthy leg, but he continued ignoring me.

"It's nothing serious, you'll be fine, stop whining."  
"I'm not whining!"

The beast silently ripped the sleeve of his shirt and wrapped it around my ankle, then lifted me on his right shoulder, not paying attention to the fit I was throwing.

On top of all the fear, anger, and disappointment that was clouding my head, now I also felt embarrassed to be babied like that, the position I was being held at only adding to my embarrassment. But when I realized that the continuous squealing and kicking wasn't going to do me any good I quieted down and gave up. The beast was walking silently and at a slow pace, probably careful to not hurt me, eventhough I couldn't fit that act with his attitude. Perhaps he was enjoying feeling superior to me?

He walked all the way back to the mansion, and up to the bedroom I was thrown in earlier, and put me on the bed carefully, before he stormed out of the room, cursing under his breath, or that's how things seemed to me. I couldn't understand what made him so angry now after he had been calm all the way back to the mansion. I mean who's fault was it that I hurt my ankle? If he hadn't been so tall and muscular and stiff like a wall I wouldn't have fallen that hard when I accidently bumped into him! Or maybe he was mad because I tried to escape. That seemed more like it.

Before I could even try to enjoy the peace, he was back again, with a tray of food shaking in his hands this time. He just placed it on the nightstand next to me and looked me in the eye silently, which puzzled me. Did he expect me to say something in return? Like, maybe thank him? It didn't matter much, because all of his acts and gestures till now had been bewildering and confusing anyway. Perhaps they had an animalistic hint to them, or maybe he was just grumpy and weird like that.

When he realized I wasn't going to say anything, he turned his back to me and walked away. He paused for a minute at the door before he turned to look at me again.

"Eat. It's not poisoned. Meiko made it." He said bluntly.  
"Meiko?"

"The brown-haired lady who was in the mansion before. You must have seen her considering you were trying to run away and get yourself killed in the forest." He responded calmly, however, I was still cautious and I couldn't lower my guard, seeing he was facing me with the 'crime' I had committed just a little while ago.

"Oh." Was all I said, scratching my head in confusion.

"She's a good cook…" He replied awkwardly, as if trying to keep the conversation going, and waited for me to answer him, or maybe to try the food. I couldn't tell.

"I'm not hungry." I said in a low voice, but my stomach thought otherwise, and growled so loudly embarrassing me and denying the lie I've just mouthed.

A hint of a smile showed on the lips of the purple-haired beast, and for a second, I could mistake him for a normal human, if not for his horns and giant wings.

"You can have seconds if you want." He just muttered, walking out and closing the door behind him, leaving me to my confusion, embarrassment, and tray of food.

I shrugged and decided to give the food a try, and it turned out pretty delicious. I was so hungry I didn't notice when had I finished the bowls. I just lied down on my back after that, flipping the recent events I've been through in my head, over and over again. No matter how much I thought, I couldn't figure out his intentions, his motivations…I thought I was taken hostage, but I couldn't find one benefit for him that comes from captivating me. He wasn't hurting me or anything, he wasn't negotiating with my father for anything in return either…maybe his actions were based on revenge solely, and he didn't have an actual reason to bring me here.

I sighed and gave up thinking, closing my eyes and drifting between sleep and reality every few moments.

Sometime later, I became aware that the door of the bedroom was open, and so I fully woke up to see him standing there with the bag containing my personal belongings. The one I was searching for earlier.

"Your bag. I thought you might need it." He said, throwing it next to me.

"umm, th..anks." I said, eventhough I wasn't heartfully grateful.

He then frankly and awkwardly walked over to my side, and took my foot in his hand, and tried moving and twisting my ankle in many angles.

"Ouch! Ugh! What are you-"

"Checking whether I should get you a doctor or not, now sit still and stop kicking me in the face, Luka."

"I told you I was fine! And stop calling me with my first name, you sick monster!" I protested. It still disturbed me to no end when he used it, let alone how awful I felt as he held my foot and waved it around against my will.

"Do you really hate me that much?" He asked, not much of a question tone in his words. It was more like a statement.

"Don't tell me you thought I'd be happy and appreciate that you brought me here?" I crossed my hands in front of my chest and looked away frowning, giving up and letting him check my leg calmly.

"You're cute when you're mad." He laughed as soft as a hoarse-voiced creature like him could manage, causing heat in my cheeks and a funny feeling in my stomach, his laugh hearty and natural like any normal human being enjoying a normal day, and the sunlight hitting his face highlighting some sort of human weakness evident in his now crescent-shaped eyes. For a second, my heart missed a beat and I could see beyond the fangs, the nightmarish horns, and the long messy hair frailness and delicateness, deeply buried.

But I quickly dismissed the thought. I shouldn't allow him to take me for a fool. I wasn't one to be swept off her feet with a few honeyed compliments coming from the mouth of a hungry wolf. It was all a part of his plan, wasn't it? He's trying to get on my good side, I may not know why, but I know he was trying to do that, at least.

"Honeyed words won't get you anywhere, what do you want?" I snapped at him as sharply as I could, earning what resembled a pout from him, except it looked too terrifying to be one.

"Just get yourself a damned nap and give me a break from that bitter behavior." He just sighed impatiently.  
Seriously, his mood swings were giving me headache, and a lot of confusion.

"And now you're blaming **_me_** for being upset after all you've put me through? God! You're insane with that twisted logic of yours!" I complained, rubbing me temples.

"Why yes, I am mad, thanks for declaring such a matter of fact!" He fumed at me, trying to hold back from taking my life right there and then. Only the sound of our breathes could be heard after that; I decided to keep silent for dear life.

"Just forget it." He mumbled as he finally exhaled.

"Well, well, what do we have here? Why are you raising your voice at such a fine maiden? Where are your manners?" Another voice inquired, a female voice.

The beast just stared back nonchalantly at the brown-haired lady who interrupted our not-so-civilized chat. She seemed to be holding something in her arms, but he was blocking my view.

"Gakupo thought you might want to send a letter to your family, to let them know you're still alive and all. He just couldn't gather enough manners to tell you himself!" The brunette announced as if trying to shame that Gakupo person.

"Gakupo?" I repeated in bewilderment.

"What? You thought he wouldn't have a name?" She stared at me in disbelief. "Forgive him for not introducing himself properly. He just likes to be a bear like that."

"Meiko…" The taller purple-haired one, Gakupo, warned.

Something slipped out of the lady's arms at his sound, and jumped towards me, frightened. And now a grey kitten was hiding behind my legs.

"Oh come 'on Earl Grey! Don't be afraid of Gakupo, he's as harmful as a newborn baby! All he does is yell and cry!" Meiko called after the cat.

"You're a living proof of that." Gakupo muttered disgustedly, sighing and rolling his eyes before he turned his back to us and left. Meiko's expression darkened and the lively shimmer in her uncovered eye seemed to dim for a second, but then she exhaled and looked back at me, with a mocking smirk across her face.

"Oh please excuse him. He's always like that. I'm Meiko. Sakine Meiko." The brunette introduced, ready to shake hands with me.

"Megurine Luka." I introduced, taking her hand. The cat, Earl Grey, jumped onto my lap, interrupting us.

"Sorry for not introducing myself earlier. Gakupo didn't want me to talk to you at first, but then he realized you'd drive each other's insane without me here."

I just sighed not knowing how to talk to this woman. She seemed kind, but I wasn't really yearning to make friends at the moment. I was still kidnapped, and with that much hatred in my heart I couldn't really enjoy myself. I mean, who would?

"Look. I'm sorry you had to go through this. I'll figure out something, alright?" Meiko whispered in my ear, checking behind her as if that Gakupo beast would suddenly jump from behind the door.

And with that, I smiled at my newfound hope. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to make a friend while I'm still here.


	4. Chapter 4

Regardless of my current circumstances, I actually enjoyed my time with Meiko, being the type of person to look for the smallest fragments of happiness in a sea of doom. She was a kind person, she felt like the older sister I've never had.

Today I helped her to prepare breakfast for both of us since my ankle seemed to be operating perfectly, and she seemed to be either a regular or a resident in the castle, judging from how used to the mansion's kitchen she seemed.

"So how are you and…Gakupo, er, related?" I asked munching on a bite of the waffles we had just prepared.

"He's my cousin." She mumbled with her mouth full, unladylike and without a care in the world. That was one of the things that I liked the most about her, that she seemed natural unlike most of the fake ladies out there in the world. She did whatever she felt like without a second thought about anyone else's opinion.

"Really? Relatives? B-but you don't have the wings, or… You're not also a… are you?" I stuttered feeling intimidated by the shocked glare she was attacking me with. No wonder they were relatives, their similar glares alone were enough proof.

"Wait, is this some kind of joke?" Meiko asked. I shook my head quickly, afraid that I had offended her.

"Oh my God, Luka! You're really so dense!" the brunette exploded chuckling. I didn't exactly understand what she said, but she seemed amused rather than offended and that alone was good to know.

"He's a human, Luka! A human! " she continued laughing, tears started flowing out of her eyes. "I can't believe even you took in the villagers' legend about the fearsome beast!"

"Well, no one ever told me otherwise." I replied embarrassed, staring down at my tense hands moving around nervously on my lap.

"I can tell you the real story if you're interested! Our families used to live together in this mansion like one big family, I can even show photos!" She energetically added, placing her arm over my shoulders, almost pushing me out of the chair.

After cleaning up whatever mess was produced by our cooking, Meiko took me to the white room with the piano I had sneaked into earlier, which she liked to call the Art Room.

"Have a seat." She told me, pointing to the only available place to sit on in the dusty room; the ivory piano stool.

"Well, this room is impressively white." I commented sarcastically, as I inspected my surroundings, pretending I had never been in here before.

"He used to say it helped him spawn creative ideas without being under the effect of any external party. Bullshit if you ask me. Maybe he just liked the color." The brunette replied, digging through a drawer or another. The way she put it had me wondering if this room was solely his.

"Here!" She finally said, dropping three heavy photo albums onto my lap. the three photo albums spitted all the dust they had been storing into my face causing me to cough. Meiko started flipping through the white and black photos until she found one that she was satisfied with.

"That's us." She said, pointing to a photo with two youngsters, around the age of fourteen. The male was dressed in a formal suit, had his shoulder-length hair in a ponytail, and wore a hat on top of it. The female had her hair styled in a beautiful updo and was dressed in a lavish dress. "Back then they had been planning to marry us off when we were older, but we were really just friends, and we still are. Not that they'd approve of a marriage anymore."

The youths in the photo seemed rather happy. It was hard to believe that they were the same people I knew, it made my heart ache to realize the drastic changes they had been though. The boy did not have wings or horns, he had a calm face and a pleasant smile that complimented his neat gentleman look instead. The girl's face was beautiful with a charming smile and a princess-like look, she had both her eyes (unlike how she had her left eye bandaged now), and the skin of her neck seemed perfectly clear, with no sign of the scars she now had.

"And that's from when we were younger, I was taller than him back then. Good old days when I could win any fight over him." Meiko sighed for exaggeration as she showed me a family photo, with two innocent children around five years old standing in the front, the girl pinching the shorter boy's cheek.

"These are some really beautiful photos, your happy smiles in them are so infectious." I commented, a smile stretching on my face. "Where are your families now though?" I wondered.

"It's a long story, but I don't mind sharing it, since I rarely ever get the chance to chat with anyone but Mr. Grumpy Bear! Do you still want to know?" I just nodded my head at her, looking into her eye and almost seeing a glimpse of the loneliness she suffered.

She paused for a minute, seemingly to try phrasing her thoughts into understandable sentences.

"It was on the day Gakupo became seventeen years old that weird wound-like markings started showing on his back. His personal tailor was the first to notice, being the one to take his measurements and so. These wounds got worse with time and started opening up, allowing some black feathery figures to slowly emerge. Our families were petrified. They tried visiting physicians, priests, and sorcerers, but no one could do anything about it. They tried everything from different medicaments, to prayers and spells, they even tried cutting off the wings surgically, but these vicious things kept growing back only larger."

"In the end, they were convinced that both Gakupo and I were possessed by demons. Him for his constantly-getting-worse 'devilish' appearance, and me for standing on his side and refusing to adopt their beliefs. They thought I had been brainwashed by him. Their attitude together with the villagers' reactions to Gakupo's sight forced him to avoid human contact. He would often hide in the mountains, leaving me alone as our families started avoiding us too. Eventually, they left the mansion with different random excuses, one by one."

I couldn't even begin to imagine how hurt and lonely did Meiko feel as she explained it to me. My heart sank in my chest as a new realization started forming in my head. Perhaps even my kidnapper was merely a victim. Perhaps I was the one hurting him and treating him awfully without my knowledge. Because of his awful attitude- and well, also attacking my family and kidnapping me- I was totally blinded that I hadn't considered that he was also a person who had been through tragedies like every other creature. Had I been selfish to never consider that even villains could be hurt? That even they could deserve understanding sometimes, or that they were just frail humans after all?

There I was again with my bad habit of blaming myself. I shouldn't have been feeling guilty for standing for myself! He may be hurt, but that shouldn't give him the right to hurt me, right?

"Are you spacing? I thought you wanted to listen!" Meiko complained in a funny tone, tapping my forehead.

"I'm sorry! I was just musing!"

"I know. Don't exhaust yourself over something so old, we're already over it anyway." She winked with her healthy eye. I hesitated to answer, not knowing how to explain my sympathy without hurting her pride or how to apologize for bringing up her sad past.

"Can you play?" Meiko asked to distract me as she noticed how anxious I seemed, tapping the beautiful piano with her hand.

"A little."

"It's dusty, and probably in need of tuning, but do allow yourself to try."

My fingers started traveling across the black and white keys caressing them, trying to play a melody of hope, something to lighten up the mood, with the slightly off-tuned instrument.

"Do you live in the mansion?" I asked, still playing the piece I had chosen. That had been one of the questions I had been thinking about for a long while.

"I had a small house built for me only a five-minutes' walk away from here because Gakupo didn't want me around him since the incident –the day when he attacked me-, probably because it revives his guilt no matter how hard I try to convince him that I don't blame him for it. But I do spend most of my time here in the mansion, because it means so much to me, and honestly, because Gakupo can't possibly run a house on his own. You know how men are." Meiko sighed tiredly, running her hand through her short hair. " He's like my younger brother, I need to help him when I see him messing up."

"That's so sweet of you!" It touched my heart how dearly did Meiko think of him like a brother, but truth be told, my mind was still stuck on the word 'incident'. I didn't ask her about it afraid that it would hurt her further, but in my mind I could see Gakupo having a crazy anger fit and attacking her for some reason or another. However, what astonished me the most was how forgiving did Meiko sound about it, how she excused him even when he harmed her. I couldn't understand how could her family abandon her or call her a demon, for she seemed to me as the true image of a guardian angel.

And just like that, noon passed in the blink of an eye, as we chatted and took turns playing whatever musical pieces we could remember. Meiko seemed to have a notable skill, however she said her fingers were 'rusty' and needed exercising, as she hadn't played anything in a long while. Later she excused herself as she said she had to go shopping for lunch ingredients in the nearby village, and she promised me to have someone deliver the message I had written for my family the day before.

The letter only explained that I wasn't harmed in any way and how I had been missing my each and every member of the family. I couldn't think of anything else to write, but I thought it would be good enough to stop them from worrying about me until I figure out a way to go back to them.

At the thought of my family, my mind drifted from one sliver of memory to another as my fingers continued dancing subconsciously to the rhythm of my heart. I hadn't noticed until quite some time later that it wasn't only the sound of music that was tangling my feelings and thoughts with its sweetness, but there was also singing. A deep velvety voice was also there, singing harmoniously along the notes with familiar words, making my heart melt. As my mind slowly digested the new acoustic delight my ears were starting to get addicted to, I turned my head quickly to confirm what I had finally noticed; I wasn't alone in the room.

Both the music and the vocal charm came to an end as my eyes met his deep sapphire ones once more, and silence enveloped the room again. It wasn't the uncomfortable type; but the peaceful one. I was just slightly disappointed because the beautiful mental state I had been in eventually broke.

"You seemed deeply focused and I didn't want to interrupt your performance just to call you for lunch." The tall purple-haired man half-apologized, if you could call that an apology, that is.  
"You play beautifully. You had my soul in the palm of your hands as your fingers voyaged along the keys ."

"Thank you. You sing charmingly too." I admitted as I turned to face him, tucking a stray lock of my salmon hair behind my ear, and feeling heat starting to rise across my cheeks. Geez, what was wrong with me?!

"That's it? No ' _What is a sick beast like you doing in his own room?!_ ' or ' _Knock the door first you vicious devil!_ ' this time?" he asked mockingly

"Watch your tongue." I warned menacingly. There he was again, giving me that stupid dizzying fangs-showing smile and trying to make me sound like the guilty one. I admit that I had been mean to him, but did I see **_him_** apologizing for kidnapping me or hurting me family?

"Alright, I might have been slightly wrong about you, but I won't hesitate to unleash the stream of all the curses I know at you if you try to anger me." I added, using my index finger for overemphasizing effect. "But since I'm in a good mood today, I'll let that one slip." I grinned with implied arrogance.

"Where have you learnt that musical piece?" he asked, apparently ignoring my put-on show. A glimmer of curiosity, or perhaps interest, was shimmering against his sapphire orbs, making them look like the starry night sky itself in all its beauty, the mess of his purple hair, wild as ever, glorifying the many shades of blue twirling in his irides.

"Now that I think about it, my mother used to play it for us when we were young." She would also sing along the music, that must have been why the song sounded so familiar to me.

"The woman who gave birth to me also taught me how to play it at a young age." He said, the cold way he used to refer to his mother reflecting how he felt towards her.

"You should take better care of this place though, perhaps if the place was cleaner and the piano was perfectly tuned you might want to spend time here again." I suggested, caressing the dusty piano once more. "It could help you relax."

"I do want to spend time here already, I'm just…not fit for it anymore." He said, raising his hands timidly to look at his own deformed fingers and claw-like nails with pity. "But I will have the piano tuned for you soon, if you enjoy playing it."

It broke my heart to see how sad he seemed at the thought of his long-lost talent. A hobby is indeed one's window to vent off through, and losing one's ability to let off negativity could cost dearly. I imagined how heart-broken I would have been if I were to live forever in a house with no garden for me to take care of or spend time in. It would have sounded stupid to others, but because it was what I enjoyed doing the most, it would have hurt me quite badly.

"Maybe they'll get more flexible if you train them, I mean…maybe they'll get accustomed to… you know, play, and paint again.. your art is beautiful! I mean was! Eh!… maybe your hands aren't so different from…" flustered, I tried to put my feelings into words of comforting as I stood up from my seat, but what came out instead was complete rubbish.

Gakupo's expressions hardened as he exhaled loudly, clearly offended by my disastrous words.

"I honestly mean well!" I tried to defend myself, grieving over my own inability to explain myself.

"I'll let that one slip because I'm in such a good mood today." He finally spoke, mockingly copying my words from earlier. "I swear to God, sometimes you 'accidentally' manage to piss me off more than Meiko could ever premeditatedly do."

"I'm not apologizing until I hear you apologizing though." I added coolly, crossing my arms in front of my chest.

"Then I'll say it." Gakupo bragged. "Sorry, not sorry!" he continued, blowing up all my expectations of a heart-touching moment of apology. I was almost ready to apologize back, God!

"You are a pain in the neck, do you know that?" I rolled my eyes at him, leaving the room and heading to the dining room.

"Then that little neck of yours will be in constant pain during lunch today. I promised Meiko I'd sit with you because she said she had something to talk to us about." He commented as he walked past me, as if racing me there.

"No ladies first, **_Gakupo_**?" I teased, stressing his name. He sighed.

"You are a pain in the neck too, do you know that, **_Luka_**?" he wondered in response, trying to irritate me.

"See? I told you you do have a lot in common, like how you're both a pain in the neck!" Meiko's loud voice could be heard all over the staircase as she chuckled upon hearing our little conversation.

"Remind me to finish her off some time." Gakupo casually told me as he waited for me to catch up with him.

"Sure." I answered, mind-blown at the direction the relationship between my kidnapper and I was starting to take.

* * *

 **UPDATE** : A/N: I'd like to thank the two reviewers who pointed out how giving in did Luka sound when she should have still been angry with Gakupo. I'd like to tell you **_that Luka did definitely NOT forgive him yet, I just wanted to give that idea a whole chapter for itself_**. Also, the ending of the previous chapter was there to serve **_defining the change_** Luka will be going through later. I will say no more because I don't want to spoil things xD I hope you don't give up on this story yet.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: I'd like to thank the two reviewers who pointed out how giving in did Luka sound when she should have still been angry with Gakupo. I'd like to tell you **_that Luka did definitely NOT forgive him yet, I just wanted to give that idea a whole chapter for itself_**. Also, the ending of the previous chapter was there to serve **_defining the change_** Luka will be going through later. I will say no more because I don't want to spoil things xD I hope you don't give up on this story yet.

* * *

Yet again, I fail and hastily misjudge others way too soon…yet again I fail and realize my mistake way too late.

It had been a habit of mine since the decease of my dear mother to wish happiness upon all life forms, and to help deliver this happiness to them… it had been a habit of mine to find my own satisfaction in caring for others and helping draw a smile on their faces, since I had no wish or desire of my own left inside of me…  
But perhaps this time things were different, for this time pleasing others was going to be at the expense of my own happiness and self-respect. For this time, I finally had a wish, I had something that I desired from the bottom of my heart; to take a deep breath of the flower-scented air of our heaven-like garden again, to join my siblings in one crazy embrace and laugh and cry with them, to hear father's loving words and beautiful tales... I knew I had to stand for my wish, and I knew I was more than ready to do that.

* * *

"No!" Gakupo stood up and growled at Meiko who was sitting right beside me at the dining table, as she suggested allowing me to go home, smashing his terrifying fists against the table, rattling the plates and the silverware.  
"Keep your cursed nose out of my freaking business or you'll get it broken." He threatened, no trace of the man from before left on his face, his eyes beastly lethal, his glare almost dripping pure poison, as his inner beast reached the surface again.  
"Stay away and let me rot in my own hell!" He roared, throwing the whole table towards Meiko and I, yet somehow we managed to back away on time and avoid being crushed. The last of the human image I had started building of him in my mind smashed into dust-fine fragments as our lunch crashed against the marble floor. I couldn't help but be thankful to my quick reflexes, or else, it could have been my face instead of the floor.

Anything that I could have possibly felt for him before beside sympathy evaporated. I didn't want to be at the mercy of his mood swings. Someone who was constantly hurting me without a second thought didn't deserve my attention at all. The pathetic show he had put on at the dining table as he tried to use the cutlery and failed miserably was saddening, true, but it couldn't possibly shake any feeling beside sympathy inside of me anymore, because he was ugly on the inside, and ugly souls barely deserved so much. I hated myself for ever thinking of him differently.

"By all means, do as you please." I coldly replied, looking him right in the eye before I left the dining room, maintaining a fake but confident posture, with quick and powerful steps.

I reverted back to my current bedroom, and decided to lock myself in. It wasn't a solution to anything, but what else did I have to do? It was my best bet to get as far away from him as possible, as I had no intention of ever coming across that deadly-poisonous look again.

My heart started feeling heavy with many feelings that I couldn't interpret just yet, and it got so distracting that the beast's roars from downstairs started fading out. I found myself driven to sit on the carpeted floor instead of the bed as if I was bearing all the discomfort in the world on my shoulders, weighing me down along with the heaviness of my heart.

I hugged my knees to my torso, longing to the warmth and safety I used to feel around my loved ones. Despite my sorrowful state of mind, a delightful melody brushed against my throat softly as I started to hum one of the songs Miku and I always repeated to push away sadness and help us focus better on whatever we had in hand. Singing, that little habit of mine had always been the way to get me back to my senses, to wake me from my numbness and strike my awareness. It was also the trick **_he_** had used to get on my good side.

I've always believed that singing was an enchanted key to hearts, and a powerful method to change lives. Why was it so easy for anyone to dispose of a plant but not kill an animal? Because animals could make sounds, animals could sing. Why was it okay for most people to kill a rat or a fish, but not a bird? Because birds could sing. Why was it that I allowed such a terrible person as him into my heart even if for a few seconds? Because he could sing his way into the depth of my mind. Because I was playing the melody of my heart out, vulnerable and emotionally unprotected, when he came in to sing the words deeply tied to my melody. Because it was a song deeply and eternally engraved into my being, with the warm voice of my beloved mother.

As I sang further, my mind getting less cloudy, I finally came to realize that the part of me which had shown forgiveness to the monster wasn't my kind side as I liked to think, but my weak side, if I were to truthfully admit. The side I was never going to show again. He sang my mother's song, and I weakly –and wrongly- allowed him to gain my approval, I was too weak to lock my heart against her song because I had missed her so much I was willing to take in anything relatively related to her.

Heavens knew how I hated him for taking advantage of my weak spot -even if unknowingly- and for separating me from my family. Heavens knew how I missed Rin and Len's giggles, Gumi's chatter, and Miku's singing… How I missed my fiancé's light-hearted conversations, and my father's caring and support… Everything felt like a warm tender dream that was oceans away, yet right here in my heart… something that I would give my life away to experience again.

My heart scorched with flames of devastation, but I prayed for the fire to never go out, I prayed for the pain to never cease, because it only gave me more motivation. Devastation fueled my hatred, pain empowered my rage and toughened my will to fight. I allowed the flames to eat up my heart until nothing was left but ashes, to fully annihilate it and consume it. The only thing I could think of anymore was my goal of going back home.

With my goal set my mind was clear as the summer sky, and it was finally obvious and assured to me that sympathy was all I've ever felt toward him, beside hatred and anger. Any other feeling that got mistakenly tangled with them before was now correctly sorted in its right place.

I rose from my place straightening the folds which had formed in my clothes a totally different person from the one who sat there a while ago. I felt much better and stronger; I could see everything crystal clear, and I could enjoy my newfound peace of mind.

I headed to the 'art room' on my own to play, but his time I was going to play freely, an indie personal song of strength and determination.

The day passed by with no further interruptions from others, except for Meiko's eventual knocks on the door which I had ignored.

My fingers were very tired from overtraining so I decided to take a rest. The room was eerily quiet, there was no clock inside the room but the sky was an uncomfortable dark shade of blue and the moon was shying behind the dark clouds, two or three days away from becoming a full moon. I hadn't noticed when did the night start giving me anxiety, as I had never been afraid of the dark before. But after all, I definitely wasn't the same characterless person I was a few days ago; I had changed in many ways, and perhaps this was one of the changes too.

"You can't stay in there all day long! I mean you actually did, but how long do you plan to stay in there? I feel rather lonely…" Meiko called from behind the door, but I was in no mood to answer.

"Aren't you hungry?" She called again, no hint of a will to give up obvious in her tone.

"I've been to your family's house today. I have a message for you." She exhaled and said, adopting a serious tone, and it worked like a spell, succeeding to catch my attention and make me open the door.

"Are they okay?" I asked worriedly as soon as I opened the door, unable to maintain my calm composure.

"They were very happy to know I was staying at the mansion with you, I think they took a liking to me." The brunette bragged, curling a lock of her hair with her index finger.

"It's not the time for that." I interrupted coldly, slightly annoyed.

"Right. I apologize. Your siblings seemed fine and they expressed they were quite relieved to receive the message you sent yesterday, they were even happier that they heard from me in person about you, and they wanted me to tell you they miss you so much. But it's your father who seemed tired. They told me his health had been deteriorating ever since Gakupo took you. He seems to blame himself for it, and for not being strong enough to protect you."

My heart felt more torn with every word she spoke I just wanted to dissolve into nothing and disappear. There I was causing my family to hurt again. My pulse picked up its pace and my ragged breathes seemed to race my heartbeats. I didn't mean to be pessimistic, but I was too scared to lose my father the way I lost my mother. I didn't want to cause his sickness and be the reason of his ailment.

"But don't worry, they have informed your fiancé, and he's coming back to the country to gather the strongest of his men and save you. I have described the mansion's location for them precisely. You'll be fine." She threw her arms around me spontaneously. The way she talked to me sounded genuine and honest, as if every word was coming right out of her heart. I was startled and I stiffened in my place for a second, but the sincerity she glowed with was too overwhelming to resist, and soon I found myself returning the hug, content and relaxed, also at a loss of words.

"Your siblings and I actually did like each other's though. You're blessed with a beautiful loving family that I wouldn't trade for the world if I were you." Meiko commented, with a bittersweet smile. "And you do have a beautiful soul too, Luka. You're like a little sister to me. Don't let the last few days burden you. Go back to enjoy the life you used to lead." She advised, brushing my hair.

"I will." I beamed at her with a smile that touched my eyes. "Can I just ask you something?" I inquired.

"Sure, just go ahead."

"Why are you helping me? Don't get it wrong, I'm very thankful for your kindness, I just can't help but wonder how could you do it! how could you ever-so-calmly say that Kaito and his men are coming here!? Doesn't it make you... umm, sad? Or perhaps worried?" I tried to ask without explicitly pointing out that she was leading my fiancé to Gakupo's liar so that he could come and get him.

"Partly, yes. But I'm also happy for you. Gakupo is my little brother and I'll always defend him and stay by his side, but that doesn't mean I think it's the right side. I will protect him because that's what family does, but I do realize what he deserves. I know what justice is." Meiko admitted.

"You're a wonderful human. No, a wonderful angel, sister." was all I could say, wiping away the tears blurring my vision. I had enough emotions blending in my heart today to easily brew tears out of me.

"A fine man you have there, eh?" Meiko added referring to my fiancé to lighten the mood, winking at me. "Don't let him slip through your fingers, he's such a kind, honorable gentleman." Both of us chuckled at her remark.

"I'll try my best." I promised, sticking out my tone at the ridiculousness of our new topic's nature.


	6. Chapter 6

If there was a contest to win the "Laziest Author on Fanfiction" title, I'd probably rank first. Sorry for the delay. Finals are finally over where I live (lol), so I'll try to finish this story before university starts again. Thank you for sticking with me so far! Your reviews encourage me a lot! Thank you! You're wonderful!

This chapter is from a different character's point of view, but next time we'll be switching back to Luka's pov, so please bear with me.

* * *

On the day I took the form of the devil, the world as I saw it was divided into three groups; those who were disgusted by the beast, those who dreaded him, and those who pitied him. But what brought them all together was that all of them loathed the beast. Cast out of the world by everyone, a seed of hatred was planted deep into the heart of his that everyone refused to see, his wrath only grew more powerful day by day until it conquered him, leaving only a shadow of said heart. The boy from the past had enough and lost all his human features, adopting the characteristics everyone had accused him of.

He wasn't born a beast, he didn't change into one on his own, he was **_shaped_** into a beast by the hands of the world itself.

The boy from the past felt so distinct, distant, and disconnected that I couldn't refer to him as 'I' anymore, for I wasn't that bright, elegant young man who was admired by everyone, and I couldn't feel that I ever was. The boy felt like a ghost lost in time, and the monster was the cursed reality I woke up to every morning.

But my distorted reality didn't make me sad, at least not anymore. The way my family viewed me and eventually avoided me was painful at some point, the end put to my would-be artistic career was frustrating at some point, the absolute loneliness I felt, the feelings that I couldn't explain, and all the hate the whole village would smother me with… they all used to hurt at a time. But gradually, I got used to all of it. I let everything drown away with the human I once –supposedly- was. I increasingly became numb to everything but the anger that had taken over my life, until the day my eyes –unfortunately- fell on the most ill-fated maiden in the world, who awakened something buried deep within me. Why did fate have to be so sarcastically cruel?

Eventhough anger was all that's left inside of me, I wasn't born violent or monstrous, but I was made so as I was slowly stripped off of my humanity, both in body and heart.  
One day, women would gather to throw eggs and whatever rotten food at me, another day men would try to hit me with sticks and rocks –which I tried to avoid at first, but eventually let them do it condemning my act useless, as I would feel no pain even if I bled-, and occasionally priests would try performing their exorcising rituals on me, wanting to crack my head open to let the 'evil spirits' out. Most of the times I would ignore them and tolerate their actions, but eventually I did kick back when I got too pissed off, and my kicks weren't exactly soft.

But I didn't blame the cursed, shallow, village people for their desperate, rash actions, even if I still believed it was what encouraged me to further embrace the new nature everyone had decided for me. I couldn't blame them no matter how much I hated them because I know I would have done the same if I were in their shoes. There was really no one to blame, no one to let my anger on, no one to get my revenge on, no one to punish for the agony and unfairness I had to go through, and that was what frustrated me the most. I wanted to take vengeance, I wanted to fight back, I wanted to regain what I had lost and get back my dignity, but there was no one for me to fight in the first place. The wings, horns, and scales grew on their own.  
I had no enemy to settle score with, and so, slowly and without my knowledge, the universe filled that occupation. I wanted the whole universe to suffer as I did.

When I finally got too tired of the villagers' actions and noticed how terrified and miserable I made them, I stopped visiting the village altogether and reverted back to the only two places in the world where I –mistakenly- thought I couldn't ruin anyone's life; the almost-empty mansion, and my hideout in the mountains quite close to it, having no choice but to accept Meiko's help to get me whatever I needed from the town's shop or whatsoever.

Meiko herself wasn't an exception to anything. Even if she tried not to show it, truth was that she was scared of me. However, she rejected her fear and decided to stay by my side out of pity, and perhaps obligation since we were blood-related and former close friends, and in the most ironic scenario possible; because she's too kind and loving for her own good.  
I've always felt sad for her because she had to put up with me, and genuinely sorry for all the harm I had caused her. I just wasn't always able to express what I felt to her, as it was an ability I had lost once anger and hate seized my being.

* * *

"Earl Gray!" I hopelessly called Meiko's cat as I filled his bowl after I came back from my early morning hunting trip, fully-knowing that it was going to make him run away instead. Like any other creature following its natural instinct, Earl Grey's first reaction to me was that of a prey to its predator. But the time when receiving that reaction could hurt me was long over.

I sighed and walked over to Earl Grey's favorite spot to get him, or perhaps to irritate him, I wasn't sure and it didn't matter; I just started getting this unfamiliar urge to interact with others lately, and beside Luka who must have been very angry with me, there was no one in the mansion to annoy at the moment but the grey cat, as Meiko was away today checking up on the family's business, being the one managing it ever since she was left in the mansion.

Expectedly, Earl Grey wasn't there; even a deaf person would still feel my footsteps and run for their live if I try to approach them. However, I noticed that an object was lying there instead, a piece of jewelry with pearls, it seemed. I bent down to retrieve it, but some of the pearls scattered all over the floor. Looking at what was left in my hand, I thought that it must have been a necklace, but some of the delicate golden chains connecting the pearls were broken. I tried to pick up the loose pearls but my goddamned clawed fingers weren't compatible with the job, however, I did manage to gather all of them after endless trials. I knew It must have been naughty Earl Grey's doing.  
I placed the necklace pieces in a pouch and initially wanted to leave it somewhere where Meiko would see it so I would witness the horrified expression she'd make once she discovers her cat's malicious doing, but then I remembered that Meiko had never put on neck accessories ever since the day I… attacked her and scarred her neck, and thus, the necklace couldn't be hers.

Back then, I was around seventeen or eighteen and still not used to the changes happening to me. It was at the time when only Meiko and I were left in the mansion right after our families' departure. That day, she went out very early in the morning without saying a word to me. When the night fell, doubt trickled into my mind and I thought she wasn't coming back again, I thought that she too had left me to rot alone, after all the kindness she showed me like a sister. I couldn't stand the idea of her faking all she had said and tricking me into trusting her as my only friend. I was frustrated, and when she finally came back at midnight, I broke out in angry tears and attacked her. It turned out later that she had been visiting a nearby town to look for a sorcerer that she had heard of; hoping he'd be able to fix me. The guilt of that night still haunts me every time I look at her face. I'll be bearing that guilt over my shoulders for the rest of my life, and I do deserve that feeling at the very least for being such a monster. And yet all she ever did was to forgive me after my unspeakable brutal crime against her.

I slapped myself to get rid of the horrible memory painfully playing in my mind, looking back at the pouch in the same sinful hand that had scarred Meiko before, and realizing that the jewelry piece must have been Luka's, being the only other female in the place.

I figured it wouldn't be a good idea to just go straight and tell her about what happened to her necklace; I had no idea if she would be awake, and I didn't want to ruin her day by being the first sight she'd open her eyes to. I was too ashamed to face her after the many times I hurt her and afraid that I'd cause her more harm. Plus, she already hated me enough, why be the one to bring her the bad news?

* * *

Out of boredom –as I convinced myself-, and perhaps loneliness, I decided to visit an old acquaintance that I hadn't seen in years, hoping she'd be able to fix the necklace. She was my personal tailor as a teenager, a blind young lady who owned and ran a clothing and jewelry shop. People would always marvel at her remarkable skill in tailoring and making accessories, she could always do a wonderful job in spite of her disability.

I wasn't sure that visiting the village was going to be a merry event for the beast, nor did I understand my paradoxical illogical reason for wanting to fix the necklace in the first place, but I decided to do it anyway.

I spread my wings and let myself enjoy the momentary feeling of freedom I was experiencing as I ruled the sky alone. The sights below were mesmerizing as spacious fields with flowers of all colors blended before my eyes in a breathtaking scenery, the sensation of the wind encircling me and brushing through my hair was priceless. Up there it felt as if I owned the world.

However, my euphoria died out as soon as my feet touched the ground, jailing me back in reality. I didn't want to descend to the ground in front of everyone to further frighten them, just landing in the outskirts and walking the rest of the way to the town square on foot was granted to terrify them enough.

The muddy footpath I followed was lined with flowers and roses, the beautiful fields stretched in front of my eyes for as far as I could see. The sun rays were painting the grass through the trees' leaves with endless shades of greens, a work of art that combined light and shadow. The scene of greenery was swaying back and forth with the gentle wind, making the colorful petals even more tempting. I wasn't one to be fascinated at such sights usually, in fact, I'd hardly notice their existence, but Luka loved flowers didn't she? That night, her pathetic parent did say that he was getting the rose from my garden for her. And why was his words about her still lurking in mind? That was something I couldn't understand.

I let my eyes wander between the plants and choose the very best looking flowers then picked them up, arranging them into one messy bouquet that I could hold with one hand before I headed back on my path.

As I reached the inhibited part of the village after the calm peaceful walk, the usual drama started taking place again as if I finally woke up from a dream. Many people started screaming and running in every direction like frightened ants, some were repeating prayers for protection, others were just frozen in their places, horrified. The whole town went into a state of hysteria at the sight they wished to never come across again; the beast.  
Some of the townspeople would try to defend their children, other would beg to be spared, and some would mutter empty threats at me, nothing had changed at all over the years.

Ignoring the mess the town square had turned into, I walked steadily to The Nakajima Shoppe.

* * *

"Long time no see, Kamui. I have been expecting you." Gumi, the short, green-haired woman who owned the place greeted as soon as I stepped in, working on something or another without turning to face me.

"You never fail to amaze me with the abilities you're blessed with." I replied with honesty to the lady who I haven't seen in a few years. Nobody knew how could she tell people, or even colors apart, but that was part of the charm that gave her her good reputation among folks, the other part being her magnificent works. Nobody but me. I've always known that she was born a witch but never embraced that way of living and instead decided to live as a common tailor, as it was what she liked to do in her life.

"You're still going with your plan, aren't you? About Ms. Megurine?"

"I am."

"And yet you brought her roses? I can also smell jasmines and lilies." Her voice was soft and barely-audible as she spoke, and yet it stroke me like thunder as it opened my eyes at how contradicting my choices were.

'Don't get close to her… Just be the nasty monster you've always been, she's guaranteed to hate you. Don't fool her with false kindness.' I had always told myself. But ever since I met Luka something inside me changed. It was like an infection; I didn't feel any difference at first, but now I know it had spread through my blood, starting to take over me.

Why was I doing this? What was my purpose? Making friends with Luka at this point was going to benefit neither of us the way things were going; it was going to do the exact opposite and risk destroying everything I've been working to achieve for an eternity.  
And yet, the **_need_** to make it up for her was too overwhelming to be resisted. The need to make things right for her, to show her that I wasn't the ruthless, vicious demon she saw me as, to make her as happy as I could while she was staying at the mansion… That urgent necessity was eating at my insides, forcefully subjugating my whole being in order to be fulfilled.

Why was it that this lady's well-being mattered to me so much? Why was it that I finally took interest in anything at all after I gave up on everything and everyone?  
Why was it that I felt guilty for hurting her of all people? Hadn't I already decided long ago that I wouldn't care for a world that had kicked me out?

Every time Luka would cause me to end up questioning my intentions like this my anger would be triggered, because it made me feel scared and threatened. Nobody wants to have their beliefs and intentions shaken. It made me lose sense of who I was for the second time (the first being when my change took place), fogging my mind and crushing my beliefs and my identity.  
Whenever I thought about her, I was lost and uncertain, somewhere between existence and void. Whenever I thought about her, it was only her who existed, because my wrath, needs, and objectives would melt into the nothingness she unintentionally reduces me to.

Every time she comes across my mind she'd make me forget who I am and what I want. She'd make me feel as if the familiar beast I had finally learned to coexist as is also fading into oblivion, as did the kind young man I once was. She'd make me feel as if I am undergoing a change into a new alien creature all over again, and I certainly did not wish for such a painful memory to find its way to surface yet again. She was the only person to ever threaten my being and put the beast at risk.

"You're spacing out. You're not certain about it, are you? You're having second thoughts. " Gumi noted, bringing my wandering mind back to the shop.

"You know nothing, Nakajima." I replied harshly, annoyed at how sharp she was.

"I know it all. You of all people should know about my supernatural senses and abilities; wasn't I your favorite tailor a few years? You've developed a horrible new taste in clothing by the way." She said pinching her nose in disgust as if she could actually see what I was dressed in, with a small smile on that childish face of hers that she managed to keep despite being an adult.

"Six years… it's been six damned years since I've turned into this! I'd do anything to get this curse lifted up even if it meant hurting others. I can't have second thoughts or I'll be the monster for the rest of my life! Or are **_You_** the one having second thoughts?" I yelled, unable to hold back eventhough I knew that Gumi was only trying to help me.

"May I remind you we're not even sure it's a magical curse that had changed you yet? May I remind you of the risks I am putting myself at for your good? I had agreed to help you at the expense of losing my powers so don't go yelling at me! Have you got no respect for others?" The tailor replied, anger leaking through her calm façade. She then exhaled and sat down on a chair, crossing her arms.

"I'm sorry… I got too emotional." I apologized trying to justify my anger, knowing that I was the one at fault. I sometimes tend to forget that the one making the biggest sacrifice here was Gumi. I tend to forget that she was only doing this because she still appreciates our friendship from the days when I was still a human.

"I don't blame you. I understand you all too well. My mother got a similar treatment as you get from people around her when they found out she was a witch, and she ended up committing suicide. That's why I don't reveal that I am a witch too. I know it hurts and I want to help you."

My heart burned upon hearing her story, a feeling that I don't usually experience. I placed my hand over the left side of my chest feeling for a wound or an external injury, but there wasn't any. What was wrong with my body today, reacting to all thing I see or hear, or even think of?!

"I just want to warn you one last time." The green-haired lady started, already working on the necklace I brought, despite me not remembering that I had handed it to her. I looked at her with an empty pouch in my hand and waited for her to continue.

"If this wasn't the work of a magical spell… if this was the true will of God and what fate wanted for you the results will be devastating. We mere humans aren't meant to fight against fate, we'll have to pay the price of our reckless sin. The sacrifices we make will be in vain… I won't be able to turn you back into your human form, I'll lose my powers for nothing, You'll lose the girl and whatever acceptance you still have for yourself."

"I know.." I nodded at her. I knew all that by heart. "Thank you for fixing the necklace." I continued as I felt the weight of the jewelry piece returning to my hand, and she smiled at me enthusiastically. She seemed to be enjoying showing off her magic.

Turning my back and heading for the door, I noticed the many dresses displayed on the mannequins all around the room. Scanning through them quickly, my eyes fell on a rose-coloured gown, and immediately, an image of Luka flickered inside my head. Perhaps an apology gift would draw a smile on her face again?

"You're most welcome. Come back tomorrow to take the dress I'm making her. I know her measurements and size as I've sewn dresses for her before. You're right, a rose-colored gown would be perfect on her." Gumi said to me, answering the request I was about to make. "And I have the perfect chocker to go with it." She smiled wryly. She truly knew how to sell her stuff.

"Thank you!" I found myself smiling back at the tailor.

"You know… in terms of ethics and morals, your curse is already being lifted up. Your nice side is slightly leaking out again, just a tad bit. Bless that Megurine lady for altering the beast's behavior." She smiled at me and waved. "I'll be waiting for you tomorrow."

* * *

Stepping out of the shop, I still felt a weird warm sensation in my chest that I couldn't identify. It didn't appear malicious but the feeling was slightly irritating me.

It was all what occupied my mind until I suddenly felt faint stinging in my back.

"Die you monster! We won't forgive you for stealing Lord Shion's lady!" a child, probably less than twelve years old, who led a gang of youngsters behind him cried out at me.

"Attack him!" He ordered his fellows, and they started to 'shoot' me with tiny stones. I sneered at the irony, and my smirk seemed to plant terror deep in their heads so they backed off a little.  
Really? Shion was using the town's children against me? Hadn't he considered even for one second that I could actually kill all of them with one blow had I been angered? Or was he too sure that I wouldn't attack them since they were mere innocent kids? He was just as much of a monster as I was for taking advantage of such poor starving children, who'd take up the most suicidal jobs for a piece of bread.

While I was in the midst of my hateful thoughts, a loud rippling sound sliced through the air, followed by a hellish burning sensation in my upper arm. I couldn't take the amount of pain that suddenly hit me like thunder and I found myself growling against my attempts to imprison a loud cry behind my throat. My mind went on a frenzy trying to sort out the many thoughts rushing through it in that short amount of time. Realizing what had just happened, I couldn't stop myself from smiling at the painful encounter between my flesh and the hot tearing small piece of metal. I wasn't going bonkers yet, but I was happy to finally be able to feel anything but hate, it was something I've longed to experience for what seemed to be centuries and so I passionately welcomed it. I had forgotten long ago what pain, love, sadness, or happiness felt like. God had finally sent me a bless. Perhaps Gumi was right, perhaps I was becoming more of a human with every passing day.

As the crazy rush of emotions and thoughts started fading out and time started moving around me again, I threw a quick glance at my bleeding arm dying my overcoat a dark shade of crimson, before I inspected my surroundings for the source of the bullet which brought me both pain and delight. I wouldn't describe myself as lucky, but I didn't have to search long to find the source; an old hunter with a gun. Bullets started raining over me one after another, forcing me to cover myself with my wings as a shield and move quickly trying to avoid a much-unneeded accidental death. I didn't want to fight back and end up murdering another man, the small part of me that was brought out by the bullet did not wish more pain upon others.

I picked up my pace so I could flee without having to face the hunter or any similar happenstances, but then I noticed that my now numb, limp, and bleeding arm wasn't holding onto Luka's necklace anymore. The pouch was gone, and I realized I must have dropped it at the moment I was shot.

"Dammit!" I shouted out loud, stomping one foot against the ground before I ran back to fetch the item I had been running around all day to fix and protect. Creating an opening in my shield, I stretched my other arm and grabbed the necklace, but thankfully my movements were faster than what the hunter could fight against. I then stretched my wings and took off in the blink of an eye, leaving the town in a state of terror.

After showing up today, receiving such a lovely greeting, and stirring enough troubles in town, I even doubted I'd be left to live through the week.

* * *

Ignoring the trail of blood I was leaving behind, I walked directly to Luka's bedroom, frightening a certain grey cat on the way.

I knocked with my functioning hand on the door, holding a miserable bouquet of flowers and keeping a murderous pouch that had brought me so much misfortune to almost regret all I had done today in my pocket.

"Are you awake? Would you please come out?" I called as I knocked again.  
"Go away." Came the response after a distressing silence that seemed to last too long.

"Luka, I'm… sorry." I muttered. I could hear her exhale as if her patience was running out.  
Ironically, it was all I could come up with after today's adventure and a previous night's worth of thinking, and it made me hate myself more.  
It was all I could offer her after attacking her family, bringing her to the mansion against her will, and just being as nasty and cruel to her as I was to everyone, eventhough I did my best trying to restrain my anger as much as possible when she was around.  
And the worst part was my purely selfish intention behind kidnapping her, it was the part that torn me apart the most. But it couldn't be helped; I needed to undo the curse.

"A five-lettered word won't be enough to get you behind this door. You've been far too brutal to Meiko and myself, you don't expect that a mere word you meaninglessly spit will magically erase all the harm you've caused, do you? And then by sunset you'd be throwing tables over our heads again." She fiercely answered, her words slightly muffled by the thick door standing between us.

And she was absolutely right, therefor I couldn't argue with her. It irritated me how painfully true everything she said was. I had the urge to shout at her for not understanding how truly sorry I was, but I bit back at it as I knew it was just another ill-mannered act of mine that would only further complicate things, my hands balling into fists. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before I spoke again, calming my tone.

"It'll be different this time, I promise. I'll be a better…" I just couldn't bring myself to use the word 'person'.

"Then prove it." She coldly said to me with chilly, serious, azure irises as she cracked the door open.

"I will. I appreciate the chance you're giving me." I replied serenely, looking back into her eyes with a faint smile that meaninglessly and unwillingly stretched across my face so out of place at the evanescent warmth she caused inside of me.

Trying to hide my idiocy, I looked away for a second before I faced the door again, handing a startled Luka a worn out bunch of flowers.

"Oh, apologies." I commented as I took notice of how horrible it looked, mentally slapping myself for my lack of attention, "I got this for you earlier. It looks terrible and withering now, and it smells like blood… It was supposed to look beautiful but that's all I could save from it." I sighed.

"Blood?" she wandered loudly to make sure she had heard me right, the question tone missing her inquiry. "It's okay, at least it's thoughtful." The pink-haired female responded calmly, with a tiny grin that spread across her face on the sight of flowers, even if they looked as rubbishy as I did. She really did love flowers, and had a heart as pure as they were. I felt as if I was cheating for bringing her something I know she loves when she was mad at me. It felt as if I was using her weakness against her illegally, while in fact I only wanted to make her feel a little less awful.

The smaller lady gently reached out to accept the flowers, but her arms suddenly paused midway, and her eyes widened.

"You're...bleeding!" She quizzically shouted.


	7. Chapter 7

Hello to anyone reading this, hope you're doing well.  
There are many things that I'd like to change about this story since I was much younger when I started it, but being the lazy and the busy person I am, I can't afford to. Thanks for sticking with me so far, I appreciate it a lot!

As to why I haven't been updating, well, usual laziness. Also, do you have electricity available at your place 24hrs a day? We used to, and we didn't appreciate it. Now we have 8, and it's heaven compared to when we only had 3. That's why I haven't been updating much. Now 8 is enough for updating.

I'll be replying (super late, I know) to all messages and feedback soon :) wait for me.

 **Note:** Last paragraph is **not** from Luka's POV. It's a different character.

 **Feedback is much appreciated!**

* * *

"You don't have to…" the words hardly left his gritted teeth as he squinted at me through struggling lids, clearly in pain because of both the antiseptic and my trials to stitch up his wound a bit. "It doesn't hurt." He continued as he averted his gaze to look at the mess of a suture I had managed so far.

"Yes, clearly." I replied sarcastically without looking up, wiping my now-sweaty forehead. In all honesty, I didn't think he could feel pain, not after I hit him with a vase on the head back in my house, but his twisted features said it all. I also didn't even think that the day when I put my knowledge to use and stitch someone up would come for that matter.

"Don't mistake my intentions though, I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing this to repent. Because last time someone died in front of my eyes I was weak, I couldn't do anything to save them. I can't be one of the reasons again." I said with more emotion in my voice than intended. For a second, his chilly sapphire irises seemed to lock up on me as a result, as if pressing for more and I started to feel uncomfortable. I took a breath to calm myself down a bit before I continued, trying not to think too much of the past and to drive his thoughts elsewhere to avoid possible unnecessary questions "And also because you managed to get on my good side today." I gave him a small smile remembering the flowers. "You should still see a doctor though, I'm only saving your life for the moment here with my basic knowledge. You're lucky I've learnt to do this in theory before."

"That's…not an option." He muttered seeming to let go of the previous subject I now regretted, messing around with his giant wings as if to justify his response.

"Hey," I stopped midway as I remembered something, frowning at him "Aren't you supposed to heal on your own or something? I don't remember you needing medical attention the night I hit you. You healed up rather fast, and you said you didn't feel pain…" I knew the I-feel-no-pain thing could have been an implication to make me and my family fear him, but that theory falls short on explaining why hadn't he healed up till now this time.

"I'm supposed to. I don't know what's wrong. I'm sorry." His words stung me. He was being far too soft today that it made me so cautious and hyper-aware of him, making sure to keep my guard up. What's with him doing things for me, apologizing, and even getting me something like flowers, something that's completely pointless if it didn't hold a message, a meaning or a feeling behind it? I couldn't even begin to fathom what was on his mind, but it obviously was a tangled mess. Much like _My_ mind. I couldn't decide whether I was mad at him, happy to receive the flowers, worried about his injury, or seriously annoyed by all of that.

"Just what in the world did I miss?!" Meiko exclaimed, stammered in her place, hands on hips and eyes wide as saucers at the sight she walked up on. "I go out for a few hours and I come back to see…I don't even know what do I see!"

"Meiko,… " I fretted, trying to describe the situation, only realizing I was just as confused.

The brunette just walked over quickly, the sound her shoes made as they made contact with the floor with every step being the only sound filling up the room.

"What troubles did you stir in town this time, idiot?" She asked ruffling Gakupo's hair. The sight seemed wrong to me, seemed messed up and scary, but she had already said he was like her younger brother. He met her gaze head on, kind of appreciative but clearly showing that he had no interest in explaining.

"I'm fine. This is not the first time I return home with a bullet or two." He nodded. "But you need to discipline your cat."

"But it's the first time I've seen you grimace in pain. No wait, Luka, did you try to kill him?! Stabbed him with a fork?!" She suddenly looked my way with a completely different attitude, respecting his wish. "Say it!"

"Wait what?! N-no, I…"

"God we could've done this together girl, geez you're no fun." She sighed, resting her hand on her forehead. "Don't you guys dare plot and have fun without me again." She finished winking at me before she started to walk away to look for her cat, probably trying to give us some space in case she had interrupted a private conversation or something.

Seriously, if not for this kind spirit of hers and her ability to cheer everyone up and maybe treat the grimmest of situations as trivial daily life troubles (which could be both a good and a bad thing), only God knows what would have happened to me, or to the both of them on that matter.

* * *

Leaning on the chilly metal railings my mind wandered around endlessly for what seemed like hours, bringing up both sad and happy memories, simple wishes which seemed so out of hand right now, and lots of nostalgia.

I had decided to spend my time alone at the balcony, in hopes that Meiko had brought some news about Kaito or my family while she was out this morning and had been waiting for the perfect chance to talk to me when he wasn't listening. I figured the balcony would be a proper place out of his hearing range. But she didn't show up.

Many questions were biting at my brain begging to be answered and making me feel uncomfortable and uneasy. Was Kaito to arrive in the next following days? How would I be able to help him and not be in his way when he would encounter Gakupo? Will Meiko remain at our side when he's against him? How should I even feel tearing the bond between these two apart had she remained at our side? How should I feel if Kaito is to 'murder' someone? How was I supposed to feel if Gakupo was indeed killed? I definitely wanted the horrifying beast gone to protect everyone from going through what I've gone through, but I wasn't as sure about the not-as-horrifying beast, the one who got me flowers. Would Meiko hate me? Would she become even more lonely? Perhaps she won't be alone if I remain at her side?

I finally lifted my head up and sighed at the sky. I was even jealous of the birds passing over the mansion. Why couldn't I be as free, have the whole world as my house and the sky as the ceiling? I wanted to visit many places and roam gardens and forests freely, taking my time to observe nature in its most beautiful forms. Just yesterday I was leading a normal bearable life, and in mere seconds everything went down the hill. My patience was starting to run out.

I heard someone clear their throat breaking my concentration, and I turned just in time to face him again.

* * *

"I forgot to give you this." He said, extending a bandaged arm to me that held onto a pouch. I made sure to keep my guard up.

"Earl Grey got hold of your necklace but it's all fixed now." he said as I inspected the continents of the small bag. It was my mother's necklace indeed but I couldn't point out where it had been fixed.

"Nakajima does wonders." he added, referring to the one and only clothings and jewelry goddess in town, in what seemed like a desperate try to keep the conversation flowing.

"Nakajima-san... She's tailored me a dress before, she sure does wonders." I approved coolly without looking his way, too busy checking up on the necklace, then placing it around my neck and toying with it a bit, still both worried about my most treasured item and startled by his illogical newfound, assumingly-faked kindness.

"I also didn't get the fortunate chance to properly apologize to you and-" he was about to continue with a serious face that betrayed nothing but I cut him short. I did expect him to act better to Meiko and I after promising, but he was going over the edge with his honeyed words which made me sick in the stomach. One couldn't be a wolf one day and a lamb the next. It was illogical, it drove me nuts, he just didn't make sense and it was going to break my head.

"What's with the change of heart?!" I finally snapped under the stress and spat it out, my heart going on a riot "Just make up your mind, alright?! I don't understand, one day you're the monster and the other you're a bloody sweetheart, I can't take any of your contradicting crap anymore, so stop!" I yelled too loud to be considered proper, not that he usually was proper himself. I inhaled deeply as I finished, reconsidering my words as my chest heaved up and down.

His brows furrowed deeply at me as soon as the words clumsily left my mouth and suddenly the horns on top of his head seemed much more notable and intimidating in my eyes. I took a few steps back, my legs slightly shaking. A grim feeling washed over me and a chill ran down my spine as I felt my back hit the cold wall, now cornered between it and the glazing eyes piercing through me. My heart sank in my chest and my "fight or flight" mode was activated. I raised my arms above my head in a poor try to protect myself.

"I shall." he quietly muttered in response, turning his back to me slowly. I was momentarily relieved.

Too soon though the muscular figure with the dark air around it turned back after a moment of thinking and reconsidering and walked over to me with quick jerky movements, and I closed my eyes in fear of what was to come.

With rough movements a clawed hand got hold of my wrist and dragged me closer, then a pair of muscular arms circled around my body from behind me, right below my breasts, basically a rough hug.

"Ugh, let go! Kaito will kill you!"

"Calm down. I won't do anything bad." his grip tightened on me, then he suddenly and without warning jumped with me out of the balcony and I shrieked in surprise, my eyes closing shut and every muscle in my body contracting.

A shadow fell over me blocking direct sun rays as he spread his raven-black wings over our heads, flapping them to keep us from crashing to the ground. We then started flying ahead while his gaze was fixed somewhere far away in the horizon.

"Let Go! Oh Lord I just stitched your arm what if it gives up?! Help!" I didn't know what I was blabbering because I was too scared to think straight. I clung harder to his arms in fear of an untimely death, and he faintly sighed. Or perhaps such death wasn't so untimely?

"Open your eyes, there's nothing to fear! Look how free we are here, we are one with the sky!" with sudden enthusiasm Gakupo encouraged me. "You own the world! No one can hurt you here, and all the flowers in the universe are yours and yours alone!"

I slowly opened my eyes to the most breathtaking scenery I have yet laid my eyes on.

So this was what Earth looked like from above, a magnificent view that was privileged to angels and creatures higher than humans. We –humans- fail to see how huge and beautiful our home is and how small and unimportant we are next to it. Yet insignificant as we are we continue to puff our chests in pride as if we had any power over nature or even over each other's. As if we actually owned Earth. No, it's Earth that owns us.  
I was a bit jealous over the fact that this spectacular view was available to him whenever he wanted, if I had wings I would have definitely appreciated the gift.

"Try this, let out all that's been bottling up inside and you'll feel better, you'll see." He told me with a voice that's a bit muffled by the wind, derailing my train of thoughts. "GO TO HELL, SHION!" he shouted loudly, but up there in the sky you were safe and no one could hear you.

I looked over my shoulder at him in confusion; was he challenging me by saying that he hates Kaito? Was he trying to encourage me? Was he provoking me to fight with him? Or did he simply just hate him? Well, it didn't matter because I had already decided to give it a try.

"I hate you Kamui!" I shouted what was on my mind clear as crystal. Isn't that what he got us up here to do anyway? He should have seen it coming.

"Louder! You're still holding back. It won't work that way." Came the response unexpected to me, calm yet challenging. I was glad it didn't drive him mad at least.

"GODDAMIT KAMUI I HATE YOU!" I barked at him as loudly as possible, exhaling every last bit of air in my lungs. And oh how deeply and passionately I hated him! I even hated that side of him which was nice because it gave me hard time pondering over whether I completely or just mostly hated him. My chest felt much lighter as if mountains were taken off my heart. I hated him and I didn't have to bear it alone, I could share it with the world. It was a sweet relief.

"I also hate Kamui." He remarked quietly as he breathed out a laugh that tickled my neck.

"Curse you and this stupid rose of yours!" I felt as if some bad-mouthed person inside of me was temporarily set free, but luckily only he was going to find out about this. I liked how honest I could be away from the judging eyes of others, but I wasn't proud to curse.

"Keep them rolling." He muttered before it was his turn to let out something "Damn you stupid town's people!" he shouted, making it my turn again.

"stupid damned fate, just give Mom and Dad back already! And my siblings!" Had my voice not cracked as I shouted with all the power in me, I wouldn't have noticed the tears washing down my cheeks as I spontaneously did finally let out a thought I've been keeping for myself for too long. I should have stopped myself before I pathetically admitted all of that in tears, but it was already too late. "Give them back! Give them back!" I yelled flailing my legs, my powerless fists drumming against his arms as I lost it and couldn't see straight anymore. "I'm stupid, I can't save anyone…" I finally whispered as I ran out of power, still crying weakly.

As if startled to see this whole mess of a situation that he hadn't seen coming, the beast's eyes widened and he was lost in thought as he looked at me, and I could see my miserable reflection which I hated there in his eyes. He awkwardly took one of my hands in his, his movements stiff and not exactly gentle but it seemed like a friendly gesture, keeping me circled with the other arm only, then he started to fly lower and lower intending to land on the ground without a word.

* * *

"I've made things very painful for you. I owe you at the very least an apology and an explanation." He said as he helped me sit down on a cut tree log. "And you don't have to believe or accept one damn bit of it."

My tears were dry now but I was drained of power after my emotional collapse, my most-likely-reddish-now face was expressionless, my lips slightly agape to allow an extra amount for air in making it up for my now-only-partly-functioning nose, and my body was shivering at the contact of the cool breeze with my warm skin, and on top of that I was embarrassed by the weakness I had exhibited. I had usually been a strong girl, at least one who's able to keep her drama for herself while others were around, but letting things out unleashed it all. I was weak and human.

We had landed in the middle of a forest that extended as far as I could see in all directions. However small cottages could be seen from afar so I guessed we were close to town.

"Even if I were to die as a beast, I was not born as one." He started as he sat down as well, apparently nervous and confused after my break down. I had already known that fact but I made no effort to say anything. I only wrapped my arms around my torso trying to warm myself up as I continued to listen. Making an uneasy face he went on anyway.

"One day, a witch who lives in town offered me her help and we made a contract. She gave me one magical seed which I was to plant and take care of. The magical plant would produce one rose each year, and said roses wouldn't wither or die as long as I take care of it. For five freaking years I was to patiently take care of it, and on the night when the fifth rose would bloom, the spell she was cooking was to take effect."

Not knowing what to believe or how to reply, I simply stared back at him in silence. It didn't seem like he was enjoying telling the story, quite the opposite, and his eyes seemed sincere enough to me. The wind blew my hair in front of my face breaking eye contact, and I quickly reached to put it back in place.

"The risks she was taking for me were great; she was to lose power if anything went wrong or if it wasn't a magic curse that which had turned me into this. But she was doing it for our friendship." He said looking far away as if remembering a conversation or a situation in particular.

It all sounded like nonsense, but being abducted by a demon-like creature made believing such nonsense much easier. A magic curse and a magical rose, and a witch who'd sacrifice herself for friendship were almost too much even for a fairytale. But knowing that some good people still remain on Earth, ready to sacrifice things for the good of others (much like Meiko) left me feeling better about our world.

"And if I were to not have five healthy roses on that plant by the end of the fifth year, I'd blow up my last and only chance to break the curse and be free, and I'd be sacrificing her magical powers for naught." The words came out a with some effort, and he seemed to want to stop there and leave the rest up to me as he stood up, avoiding eye contact this time. It didn't require a genius to figure out the rest.

"And my father took one of these roses and ruined your chance…" I commented, anger slightly leaking through my voice, signaling to have found the reason of his abduction. _And now you thought you were eligible to take revenge on my father by ruining my life._ Indeed it was awful, but how could have my father known about all of this?

"Not completely." Came his answer with a sigh. "The witch gave me one final chance." Silence extended for a short eternity as I waited for him to go on. Perhaps it was agony, or general discomfort, or just a reflection of my own sadness, but something clearly painful was showing in his eyes. Seeing such powerful sadness on his face for the first time made me scared and the air became dim and heavy; what could it possibly be that made someone so horrible, so powerful, and so awful this pained?

"She made one extra condition to the spell, where spilling the blood of the maiden whose hair have the same color as the rose her father had taken would make it up for the rose itself." He finally muttered his gaze meeting the ground, with the face of a sinner. "That's why you're here."

"No…" I quietly gasped at his words which didn't exactly match my expectations, but I couldn't form any meaningful words. I quickly stood up, blood roaring in my ears, mind going on a frenzy, and terror finding its way to my face. Things became blurry and I felt as if the ground was shaking under me and spinning around. With clumsy steps I started walking backwards eventhough I knew I had zero chance at running away. I was on his own field far away from prying eyes, and his strength exceeded my humble human abilities greatly. Now that I knew he actually had a very strong reason to finish my life I was far more petrified. He was not taking revenge on my father, his sole goal and only reason to live depended on my death; he **_needed_** to kill me. And humans and monsters alike would very gladly kill to remain alive.

"Wait!" he called after me but I shook my head in horror, eyes getting moist. Even if my death was certain, I wasn't going to sit around and wait for it.

"Luka.."  
I paused midway reflectively at the sound of my name being called. And I was probably going to regret it.

"I can't… I won't do it." The beast tried to maintain eye contact as he struggled to form comprehensible words in such a calm tone, but my mind being on a chaos I wasn't about to even try.

"Stay away from me!" I warned, trying to take control of the situation, or at least to not be an easy kill.

"Fine by me. I don't want to harm you. But I'm a sinner for I have tried."  
I searched his face for signs of mockery or dishonesty without a result.

"Forgive me for I have been ironically trying to kill you in order to gain my humanity back. But you're so pure ** _,_** **you're so DAMNED GOOD AND PURE** that I just **can't**! And I'm just a **MONSTER**!" He yelled in such a deep loud voice that almost triggered a heart attack within me, punching a nearby tree with so much power causing it to fall down with a very loud crash that reverberated through the forest, sending all the birds flying away. I could see the glint of tears in his eyes shamelessly displaying the fragility of a human that was once inside the beast, and the sight made my heart stop for a moment.

"Gakupo…" I walked towards him with worried steps. Part of me wanted to pat his shoulder and say something nice and soothing, the other part wanted to take her leave immediately while he was still distracted. I was officially going bonkers.

"Town's that way." He said fighting tears, pointing towards the faraway cottages with his index. "You'll be there in no time, nothing can dare hurt you as I'll be watching your back from here."

What? Just like that? We came here because he was sending me back home? The thought just wouldn't sink in. Did we fly all the way from the mansion here just so to return me to my family? No, he just said he needed to kill me didn't he, so why wasn't he doing so yet? Why did he decide to get me back home now? What purpose did any of this serve? How did kidnapping me benefit him in the first place? I stared back at him with wide eyes, he didn't flinch, only his eyes watered.

"… How much time do you have left?" I asked as a reply to the story he had just told, my feet moving away at the same time, not that I could (or had to) possibly find a solution for him before his time ran up.

"I said GO! Now! That's what we freaking came here for." He ordered impatiently, tears flowing down his now-very-human-face. "Shion can pick your crap up from the bloody mansion later."

Seeing his expression that left no room for further arguments, I turned my back to him and picked up my pace as my heart made little leaps inside my chest and excitement took over me eventhough I had millions of questions popping in my head which I chose to entirely ignore; I was finally going back home!

* * *

After I managed to send her back home with whatever self-control I still had, I simply sat there following her beautiful figure with my blurry eyes as she basically bounced her way back to the village, her salmon pink hair flowing behind her flawlessly, mercilessly torturing my heart.

But it was the right thing to do. If I wasn't going to kill her for the spell to take effect then what was the purpose of keeping her at the mansion anyway? If I had already decided yesterday, no since the very first day when I aborted my original plan of killing her inside her own house, then why did I ever take her to the mansion instead? Had I thought that I'd be able to kill her if I gave myself time? Had I only wanted a chance and an excuse to be around her? I –not the monster but a worthless monstrous excuse of a human being who fully chose to become the jerk he is, taking the transformation as a pathetic excuse- was not in any way worthy of her existence in my life. I didn't deserve to even live in the same universe as her.

"Tomorrow's full moon marks the end of the fifth year…" My whispered answer to her last question hang there in the air for no one in particular to hear just like the many answers she did not need or even care to know.


End file.
